


Is there anything worse than Dunmer in prisons?

by badgerBoyMay



Series: Reign of the resurrected dragon emperor [4]
Category: Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
Genre: Anger, F/M, False Accusations, Family Issues, Martin Septim Lives, Past Lives, Post-Oblivion Crisis, Prison, Resurrection, Romance, Sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-22
Updated: 2020-12-22
Packaged: 2021-03-11 05:47:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28230111
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/badgerBoyMay/pseuds/badgerBoyMay
Summary: Ariana end up in the imperial city prison for no particular reason. An old "friend" makes her stay even more great.Or: an angry altmer and a former priest who has no clue about relationships.
Relationships: Female Hero of Kvatch | Champion of Cyrodiil/Martin Septim, Hero of Kvatch | Champion of Cyrodiil/Martin Septim
Series: Reign of the resurrected dragon emperor [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2057199
Comments: 2
Kudos: 5





	Is there anything worse than Dunmer in prisons?

**Author's Note:**

> DISCLAIMER: the characters and Universe are owned by bethesda. I'm not making any money with this!!!
> 
> ~~~~
> 
> Don't ask how this thing was created. I don't know too. Anyway, have Ariana and Valen Dreth bitching at each other.

"Did you hear the news, guys? The palace guards got a new captain." Belisarius said at breakfast. Roliand looked up from his plate, "yeah? Well I hope he's as willing to work together with us as the last one was.", he said.

Achille, who sat beside him, growled. "If he's not, then our work will get a lot harder."

Belisarius just waved them off, "we are the blades, I think we have a bit more to say if it comes to protecting the emperor."

"Would be bad if it was otherwise.", Cyrus replied from the other table.

"Anyone know more about the guy?", Achille now asked. They all shrugged.

"I heard he's from Daggerfall.", Belisarius said.

"A breton? Oh well here we go.", Roliand replied.

"Hey!", Achille answered with a laugh and threw the stone of his peach at the other blade. Roliand ducked, "Naw come one Achi you know how I meant that.", the nord grinned.

"Sure, mate.", the breton answered.

"Hey guys? Who's on duty right now?", Cyrus then wanted to know and took a bite out of his bun.

"Nobody, because our Cap, Baurus and grandmaster Jauffre are with the emperor. Having breakfast and talking about some deployment plans I believe.", Belisarius said, "Caroline and Arcturus will take the guard duty from them. Ariana still refuses that we guard her at all."

"You know how she is. She doesn't need any guarding from us.", Cyrus laughed.

"He's right, tho.", Achille replied.

"Come on now guys, eat up and then let's get into training.", Roliand added.

  
  


Ariana yawned as she walked up the stairs to the palace front door. She had stood up quite early to have some peace while walking through the city and decided to go have another one or two hours of sleep now. She went inside the palace and stretched while walking into the directions of the quarters when she was stopped by an authoritarian sounding voice. She turned around again and saw an unfamiliar guard in front of her.

"Where do you think you're going, woman?", the breton asked her.

"To bed. And who are you if I may ask?", she said.

"I'm Garvus Mararvis, new captain of the palace guard and citizen like you are not allowed to go to the floors above the first."

Ariana looked a bit puzzled,  _ does he know who I am? _

"Good Sir, I believe you don't know who I am I'm the-"

"I know people like you who try to sneak into the palace to steal the treasures of the empire.", he said and grabbed her by the arm.

"Wow! Calm down! Could you release my arm please. I am the fiance of the emperor.", she said.

"Of course you are. The future empress would surely walk around in clothes like these. You're coming with me, you pointy eared criminal.", he dragged her with him. Ariana tried to get free but the captain was stronger than her. "Stop! I am Ariana Aedorill of Alinor, crown princess of summerset! Leave. Me. Alone!"

"You can grumble as much as you want. That won't help you."

"Wait until the emperor hears about this!"

Captain Maravis took her all the way out of the city and over to the imperial prison. "You're not serious!", Ariana complained.

"You won't do any harm in there."

"You can't do that to me!", she yelled.

"Oh I can." They went to the cells while the prison guards watched them, clearly puzzled.

"Help me!", Ariana demanded.

"Sir, may I ask why you're putting the emperor's fiance into that cell?", one guard asked.

"That's not her, believe me. Do you think she would look like that? With an old shirt that belongs under an armor and some trousers that have seen better days. No she's just some criminal scum from the waterfront."

"But Sir.. are you sure tha-" Maravis cut off the guard, "You leave her where she is! Do you understand me? That's an order! Now go back to your station."

The guard looked troubled, "yes Sir..", he said and went away again.

Ariana looked furious, "you'll pay for this.", she grumbled.

The captain only shook his head and left.

The altmer looked around. The same fucking cell. She was in the same damn cell as years before. Ariana walked to the wall where she remembered the secret passage but nothing she tried to move the wall seemed to work. "Open up! Come on!", she said. Nothing. Ariana yelled and punched said wall.

"Look at that, who do we have there.", a voice came from the other side of the iron bars. She went to the door to have a look who had just said that and saw the dunmer. "So they've brought you back huh? Well running away on that day the emperor died didn't help ya at all.", Valen Dreth laughed.

"Shut the fuck up.", Ariana rolled her eyes and sat down on the ground, leaning against the wall.

"This time you'll die, altmer."

"I hope you'll suffocate on your laughter over there.", she shot back.

"Not that snobby and mighty anymore huh?", the dunmer grinned.

Ariana just wanted to get out or straight up die.  _ I hope you'll speed up, Martin.  _

The hours passed and nothing happened. Thank the gods she had eaten a large breakfast that day.

Valen Dreth didn't show any mercy on her tho, talking the whole time.

At some point she yelled, "When I'm the empress I'll personally come over there and slap the shit out of you."

"You? The empress?", he laughed. "Yeah sure and I'm the king of Vvardenfell."

"I could send the dark brotherhood after you, I do know the listener.", she growled.

"I'm sure you'll do great from your little cell over there." he scoffed.

"I swear to the gods, if my fiance wasn't a former priest I'd slaughter you in the most unholy way possible!"

"Naw and where's your fiance now, little elf?"

"I don't know! Probably running this damn empire, argh!", she just wanted to clash her sword against some training dummies. Or into that dunmer.

More time passed, Ariana had been in that cell for several hours. It must have been late noon by now, she thought. And she was still furious. She didn't care who would get her out of this hell place but that person would feel her anger. All she wanted to do was get a bath and then go to bed and stay there for the next few days.

  
  


In the palace, Martin finally had some spare time on his own. The first time on that day. He turned at Belisarius, "have you seen Ariana today?"

"No, Sire. I don't know where lady Ariana is.", he said.

"Hm she's not in our chambers, I'll just ask around. I bet anyone has seen her.", Martin replied with a shrug and walked to the library but she wasn't there either. In the hallway they saw Lorena, "oh! Hey Lorena, wait a second, please.", Martin called out.

The servant stopped, "yes, your highness. How can I help you?"

"Have you seen, Ari? We're searching for her all over the palace but she isn't anywhere to be found."

Lorena seemed to think, "no, Sire. I think I haven't seen her since today morning. I'm sorry."

"It's fine.", Martin sighed.

"Maybe ask the palace guards, my lord? If someone saw her then maybe they did.", she suggested.

"Great idea! Thanks, Lorena."

"My pleasure, your majesty.", she chuckled.

Martin and Belisarius went to the palace guard rooms.

"They just got their new captain. Maybe we should ask him.", the Blade said. The emperor nodded.

Martin walked into the room and spotted the new face. They went over to him. "You must be the new captain, I'm Martin Septim.", Martin told him.

Maravis bowed, "My lord, what can I do for you?"

"We're searching for my fiance. Have you seen her?", Martin asked.

"Well what does she look like?"

"She's an altmer. Brown hair, greenish brown eyes, pretty face, strong personality. I think she might wear one of her tunics or a shirt."

You could see how the captain got more pale in the face with every word from Martin.

"Well..", he started.

"What? Do you know where she is?! Tell me!", the emperor said.

"..I might have put her in jail this morning..", the captain said in a quiet voice. Martin looked at him, processing the words, then he said: "You did  _ WHAT _ ?!"

The captain didn't even get time to explain himself because Martin had already ran out of the room.

Belisarius followed him.

Ariana looked up when she heard someone approaching. A second later Martin and Belisarius stood in front of the cell. The emperor opened up the door and rushed inside to pull her into his arms but Ari pushed him away.

"Ariana, I'm sorry! I didn't know about this!", Martin said, sounding desperate.

"I believe you didn't. I was stuck with that horrible dunmer over there for hours anyway! And I don't wanna see anyone right now!", she said.

"But Ari-", Martin tried.

"Piss off, Septim!", then she turned at Belisarius, "don't you dare say anything! I'm quite angry and you don't wanna deal with an angry altmer princess!", she walked out of the cell and stopped in front of the dunmer's cell, who had gotten very quiet.

"And you, you maniac- you're a case for Sheogorath! I hope the rats will eat you!", then she went outside.

Martin and the Blade looked at each other and followed her without a word.

The two men kept some distance from her.

"Hey Belisarius?", Martin asked quietly.

"Yes, Sire?", he asked back.

"What should I do to make it up to her?", Martin wanted to know.

The blade shrugged, "how should I know, my lord?"

"I don't know either.. I was a priest, my last relationship was ages ago!"

"Uhm, maybe gift her some flowers? Ladies like flowers yes?", Belisarius said, as clueless as Martin.

"I don't know, she's not like other women. But let's try anyway. Either she likes it or she'll try to kill me with it. And I do hope for the first one."

Ariana had straight up gone to the bathroom of their chambers to take a bath. Lorena, who had seen how angry she was, had followed her.

"Ariana what happened?", she asked.

"I had a fun little first encounter with the new guards captain. He threw me in jail for no reason!", she grumbled while watching the water filling the tub. "Oh no! Are you okay?!", Lorena seemed shocked.

"Yes I'm fine."

"The emperor had searched the castle for you, he looked worried. I told him to ask the guards about you. He found you then I believe.", Lorena explained.

Ariana nodded, "got me out of there. I screamed at him. Shouldn't have done that I suppose." 

"Why did you scream at him?"

"I was angry. Not at him. Angry in general, Martin just happened to be in the way of it. I feel sorry now.."

"Where's the emperor now?", Lorena asked. Ariana shrugged, "I told him I didn't want to see anyone. Belisarius is with him, he sure be okay. I can apologize later. First of all I need a bath."

"Have fun then, my lady.", the servant went out again.

The bath really worked it's magic on her. Ariana felt immediately more relaxed. When she got out and was fully dressed again, she walked into the bedroom where Martin was sitting on the bed, looking like a puppy who just got kicked and holding a massive bouquet of flowers. The altmer stopped, watching the whole thing in amusement.

"I'm really sorry for what happened.. are you still angry at me or can you forgive me, my love?", he asked.

Ariana walked over to the bed and sat down in front of him. "Marty I wasn't angry at  _ you.  _ I was angry in general. I'm sorry I yelled at you.", she smiled and kissed him on the cheek.

"These are for you.", he gave her the flowers. "I'm terrible at relationships, I'm sorry..", he looked away, embarrassed.

"No! No Martin you're really sweet. Thank you, they are beautiful.", Ari smiled.

That made the emperor smile as well. "I'm glad you like them."

Then he got serious, "Do you want me to punish the guards captain? Because I'd really like to.", he growled.

"Martin, you're a priest.", she answered with a raised brow.

"I am the emperor.", he replied.

"Yes, but please don't forget that you're also  _ a priest. _ You wouldn't want to make him suffer, that's not  **_you_ ** _ ,  _ honey."

"I'd do everything for you.", Martin whispered. She nodded, "I know, but you don't have to."

"Then I'll just transfer him again. I don't want someone like him as the head of my palace guard."

"Do as you wish."

Ariana stood up and placed the bouquet into a vase.

"I'll think about it tomorrow. I only want to spend time with you right now.", he said. Ariana smiled at that. "That's a wish I can fulfill.", she answered and crawled back into bed beside him.

"I can't wait for us to get married.", Martin said. "It's strange because I never felt the urge to get married. And then when I became a priest it wasn't a topic anyway. But now I'm looking quite forward to it."

"Me too. Because then you'll be mine.", she grinned.

The emperor laughed, "I  _ am  _ already yours."

"Yes, but then you'll be officially. And also if I'm going to have children, I'll want them to have an actual father who wants to be there for them.", she explained.

"Oh I will. Always. And you mean you don't want them to be bastards, like I am.", he said.

"You are no bastard, Martin. Not to me. The emperor might be your biological father but as you say: your father was a farmer. He'll always be your father. Your ancestors don't define you as a person. You are Martin Septim, the son of emperor Uriel Septim. But you're also Martin, the son of a farmer, a- as you told me- loving father.", she said.

Martin nodded and searched for the right words but didn't find them. So, he simply replied with a heartful "I love you, you know."

"I know.", Ariana smiled.


End file.
